Featherweight Peralta Joins UFC, Faces Lullo on Sept. 17

Peralta’s trainer and manger, Jeff Clark,
broke news of his fighter’s signing Saturday via Twitter. Peralta
(Pictured) takes the place of the injured Mackens
Semerzier, who was forced to withdraw from the bout last week
after suffering a hand injury in training.

Alternately billed as “Battle on the Bayou,” UFC Fight Night 25
goes down Sept. 17 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New
Orleans. The Spike TV-broadcast main card will be topped by a
welterweight tilt between former title challenger Jake Shields
and the fast-rising Jake
Ellenberger.

Peralta, a former Gladiator
Challenge 145-pound titleholder, made waves in April by
spoiling the Strikeforce debut of Dream champion Hiroyuki
Takaya with a three-round split decision. The win extended
Peralta’s current streak to seven, with six of those coming by way
of knockout or submission.

A product of Illinois’ Midwest Training Center, Lullo moves down
the scale after an unsuccessful Octagon debut against lightweight
striker Edson
Barboza last November. The loss, which saw Barboza chop Lullo
down with leg kicks for a third-round stoppage, snapped the
American’s eight-fight winning streak.